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Sunday, 26 October 2014

It's that time of year again for ghouls, goblins and all things spooky, but here at Butterfly Lane we like to take a more grown up and stylish take on the traditional Halloween pumpkin and inject some seasonal pizazz in to your home.

Friday, 24 October 2014

Fur is one of the biggest trends this season for your wardrobe and for your home too. There is something so luxurious, warm and wintery about this trend, whether it be faux or if you don't mind sporting the real deal, it is time to snuggle up!

Tuesday, 7 October 2014

My sitting room is a shell of a room at the moment, ready to be dressed and accessorised (the best bit!). But one thing that has been given pride of place already is my ceramic lady bust - I love it! Buy it here.

Thursday, 18 September 2014

I've been quiet on the blogging front over the last month, but for one very big reason. Three weeks ago I gave birth to my beautiful little daughter Emilia, or simply Millie to her friends.

So inbetween sleepless nights, nappy changes and simply just staring at her, I haven't had much time to blog. However, I am now back for the autumn and promise to start filling Butterfly Lane with new season inspiration, trends, recipes and fashion. Watch this space...

Sunday, 17 August 2014

It's the height of summer and therefore the time to enjoy your garden the most. I have a typical country cottage garden, high maintenance, lots of roses and climbers that require constant pruning and training. I do love it though and I think the gardening bug caught me as soon as I moved in to Beech House, it is a truly relaxing past time.

However, the busier I become (and a baby daughter on the way) I'm focusing on down scaling everything in my life and making things as easy as possible - for the time being anyway!

With this in mind, I have fallen in love with simple and stylish garden design. I'm thinking lots of simple topiary that looks super chic and tasteful, some potted, some not...

Monday, 11 August 2014

Owning an orangery can change your home in ways you've never known. The space you'll gain is ideal for all kinds of home activities.

Whether it's somewhere for children to play or a home office, an orangery provides an ideal environment for all environments.

Use Your Own Sense of Style:

To make the structure truly unique and comfortable experience it's vital that you have decor that represents your own personal style.

The common belief it that an orangery should be painted in a neutral colour such as magnolia or a solid cream white. But while this makes for a setting with a natural mood, it doesn't necessarily capture the mood of the room, and can limit the creativity of having a unique space separate from the rest of your home.

Bright colours and a modern chic look is just as suitable as any other design, and can allow you to express yourself without following trends.

Capturing the Tone of Your Home:

However, if you do want the tone of the orangery to be a continuation of the rest of your household, you can match the two by incorporating a shade or style that is already prevalent throughout your house.

This is particularly useful if you want your orangery to act as more of an extension to your home rather than a separate entity for other uses.

Orangeries can be designed so that they support the build of the house. For example timber conservatories are useful for capturing the appearance of older, traditional buildings as explained in this timber conservatory blog.

Matching Your Decor for an Intended Purpose:

If you have a specific use in mind for your orangery, it makes sense to cater your decor so that it supports the tone and stylistic intentions of such usage.

For example, if you plan for your orangery to act as a dining room, ensuring that there is space for a good quality table to serve your guests is essential. If your orangery will function primarily as a children's playroom, it's good to make the room child-friendly through the use of bright colours and imagery that will appeal to child.

If the structure is intended to be a working environment, a more formal tone might be advisable, especially if it is somewhere clients might be visiting.

If the intention of the orangery is to act as a relaxation room for quiet reading and other tranquil activities, a colour scheme of calming blues and greens will help set the peaceful tone.

Cultivating Plants in an Orangery:

The original use of an orangery was to cultivate exotic plants in a European climate, a practice which continues today.

Many plants will prosper in an orangery environment, and citrus plants are a popular choice in modern British homes. If tended to correctly they will produce delicious fruits such as oranges and lemons.

Complimenting Your Garden:

An orangery is also ideal to compliment the look an style of your garden to create an effective outdoor aesthetic inside your home.

One useful way to do this is to match the colour scheme of your plants that you cultivate in your orangery to those in your garden, therefore creating a timeless, beautiful look.

Furnishing with a Difference:

An orangery is a place where you can express yourself without conforming to furniture styles of the contemporary world. Afterall orangeries have been a staple of British life throughout history.

An orangery is supposed to be a spacious area, so avoid
cramming it full of large furnishings. Instead choose quaint coffee tables,
vases and stools which make for a truly unique look.

Original furniture makes for an excellent topic of
conversation when entertaining guests, and can be used to reflect your
personality.

The ornaments you choose to include are made more striking if
you match them with the colours you choose to decorate the orangery with.

What would you use an orangery for in your home? Comment and
let us know.

Monday, 4 August 2014

Sorry that it's been a little quiet on the blog front recently, but we have been busy promoting our new Christmas 2014 collection for 'Christmas in July'. A month long event where all publishers, bloggers and retailers get to view the upcoming festive collections! Slightly odd when it is hot hot hot outside, but hey ho ho ho (pun intended)!

Monday, 28 July 2014

It's been a hot few weeks and if you're getting bored of your usual refreshments here are a few ideas to make things a bit more fun and that are perfect for summer entertaining. Pop strawberries in to your ice cube tray for these summery additions to your drink.

Top tip: To get super clear ice to show up the fruit use boiled water!

Friday, 25 July 2014

We are in for another hot weekend and this outfit is perfect for evening cocktails.

It's a combination of sale and new season which includes my favourite designer Malene Birger, a snippet of Vivienne Westwood's new collection, a bargain sale bag from Whistles and some classic comfy 'wear with anything' shoes from Carvela.

Thursday, 24 July 2014

I'm a bit of a mirror junky, I love them in every room, in fact I have them in every room in my home, even my kitchen! Now this addiction is not at all in a vain sense, but instead, in a styling sense.

The main pro's of popping a mirror on the wall are:1. They make the space look bigger2. You can buy so many fabulous styles, so they are more like a thing of beauty than a functional accessory.

Here are a few of my favourite ways to accessorise a room with mirrors.

A fabulous triple mirror threat in this bathroom...

A mirrored wall in this bathroom crates the illusion of ample space and reflects the light.

I love, love, love mirrored furniture and this piece is gorgeous...

No dressing table would be complete without a mirror. This one is so elegant.